Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Nitin Nabin on Thursday, 12 November 2026, inaugurated an 11-kilometre-long Chhath Ghat along the Munak Canal in New Delhi, marking one of the largest dedicated Chhath infrastructure projects in the capital. The event was attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and senior Delhi BJP leaders, with the ghat positioned as a key facility for the city's large Poorvanchal community during the ongoing Chhath festival season.

Key Developments at the Inauguration

Nabin credited Chief Minister Gupta and her council of ministers for the speed of delivery, drawing a parallel with the Centre. “Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered on poll promises, the Delhi government is also doing the same within 20 months of coming to power,” he said. He added that the clean water of the Munak Chhath Ghats would elevate the experience of offering prayers and reinforce respect for nature.

Nabin also invoked the Swachh Bharat Mission, urging devotees to maintain cleanliness year-round. “I urge worshipers of Chhathi Maiya that if you are a true devotee, you should maintain cleanliness all through the year,” he said. He pointed to the ‘Double Engine’ arrangement, noting that the BJP government in Haryana is channelling fresh water to ensure adequate supply for Chhath devotees in Delhi.

What CM Rekha Gupta Said

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta framed the ghat as both a cultural tribute and a governance milestone. “Your one vote brought the lotus into bloom in Delhi, and within just a year, our brothers and sisters from Poorvanchal got a magnificent 11-kilometre-long Chhath ghat,” she said. She described the project as “not just the rejuvenation of a canal, but a tribute to the faith of Poorvanchal, a victory for the people’s trust, and a living example of development and heritage together.”

Gupta also disclosed that the Delhi government has extended support to 1,465 Chhath organising committees this year — a significant scaling up of institutional backing for the festival.

BJP Targets AAP Over Yamuna Pledge

Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra used the occasion to criticise Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging failure to fulfil his repeated promise of cleaning the Yamuna for Chhath prayers. Malhotra claimed that since the BJP government assumed office, an approximately 26-km stretch of the Yamuna’s 55-km course through Delhi has been cleaned, and that 22 sewers discharging into the river are being remediated to stop untreated sewage from flowing in.

“I assure you that in the next two years, not a drop of untreated sewage will fall into the river due to the efforts of the Delhi government,” Malhotra said. The claims on Yamuna cleaning progress could not be independently verified at the time of publication.

Facilities Provided at the Ghat

For the comfort and safety of devotees, the Munak Canal Chhath Ghat has been equipped with changing rooms, restrooms, tents, and adequate lighting. CCTV cameras have been installed across the site for security. Additionally, seating benches have been placed along the stretch and green spaces landscaped for devotees’ comfort and aesthetic enhancement of the area.

Significance and What Comes Next

The inauguration comes as Chhath, one of the most significant festivals for communities from Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, draws millions of worshippers to water bodies across Delhi. With the Yamuna remaining a contested and ecologically stressed venue, the Munak Canal ghat offers an alternative. Nabin expressed hope that the Yamuna will “soon be cleaned” so that Chhath prayers can eventually return to the river on a larger scale. The government’s stated two-year timeline for zero untreated sewage discharge into the Yamuna will serve as a benchmark against which the BJP’s infrastructure promises can be measured.